WT Criminal Justice Career Fair Set for Oct. 29

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - Students and community members seeking jobs in criminal justice fields, and not just in law enforcement, can attend an upcoming career expo at West Texas A&M University.

The Criminal Justice Career Fair will run from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29 in the commons area in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT's Canyon campus.

Sponsored by the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice in WT's Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, the fair is meant to appeal not only to WT students but to the broader public, said Jeanette Bissoni, instructor of criminal justice.

"The career fair is open to anyone who is interested in a criminal justice career, both students and the public," Bissoni said. "I wanted to put together an event to increase networking for local area community criminal justice agencies and people who are interested in this line of career, whether in the courts, the corrections system or in law enforcement."

Participating agencies are scheduled to include the Amarillo Police Department; the Liberal, Kansas, Police Department; Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Police; Texas Department of Public Safety; Randall County Sheriff's Office; Randall County Juvenile Probation / Youth Center of the High Plains; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the San Juan County, New Mexico, Sheriff's Office; the Canyon Police Department; the Midland Police Department; Kansas Highway Patrol; New Mexico Department of Game & Fish; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the law office of Cody Pirtle; the Lubbock Police Department; the Texas Panhandle Paralegal Association; and the Amarillo and Plainview District Parole Offices.

"We take pride not only in educating first responders and criminal justice professionals across the Panhandle but also in connecting our skilled students with criminal justice agencies," said Dr. Brandon Bang, assistant professor and director of the Criminal Justice program. "Together, we're building stronger partnerships and enhancing public safety across the region in meaningful ways."

The career fair should appeal to those not considering jobs in active law enforcement, as well, Bissoni said.

"These agencies often need support staff who aren't officers," Bissoni said. "They need communications specialists, nurses, social workers and more, so there are ample opportunities for a wide variety of students and community members."

WT's criminal justice program has earned several recent national accolades.

Its graduate program ranked No. 3 in Texas and No. 17 in the nation in 2024 rankings from from U.S. News & World Report.

It ranked in the Top 10 programs based on quality and affordability by Securitydegreehub.com in 2021.

The online criminal justice administration degree was ranked No. 1 by Best College Reviews in 2021 and one of the Best Online Programs and Best Online Programs for Veterans by the U.S. News and World Report in 2021.

Meeting regional needs, such as in criminal justice fields, is a key component of the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign's new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest's finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men's and women's athletics programs.

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